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New OCZ Vertex SSD drives specifically for Macs !
- Thread starter harshw
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Sounds like a poorly made gimmick. They probably just slapped on a sticker and threw it into the closest Mac they could find to make sure it at least booted up.
That's quite an allegation to make when the press release clearly contradicts your assumption.
Did you even read it? Do you have any idea how formal the process is for Apple to allow them to use the Mac sticker?
These are rhetorical questions, because you obviously didn't read the press release nor do you have any idea about the process.
I personally think it is a marketing gimmick (I dont feel as strongly as the above poster). The feel like the OCZ drives are still beta because they keep releasing firmware updates. I think its great that a company supports its product, but...
That said the drives look above average from a performance standpoint and are a good value SSD. They just arent for me right now.
This has been the realm of the PC lately. Stickers for marketing purposes. Apple, as far as I have known them, does not partake in this type of thing due to its perceived affect on the brand.
The "Mac edition" drives are the same as the regular OCZ Vertex (as confirmed on their official support forum).
So what they're really saying is the Vertex has been given the green light by Apple to say "this is fully compatible, both the hardware and firmware, with Macs".
The only way it'd be a gimmick is if they charge more for the "Mac edition" since it is the same drive with the same firmware. If they do that, shame on them.
Would you rather go with Intel who make you RMA the drive for firmware updates ? Or don't acknowledge the Bootcamp issue for long and then suddenly have new revisions out on the market without telling customers ?
And pray how does OCZ respond to things like TRIM - an upcoming ATA 13 specification that wasn't even standardised when the drive started production ? They have to update the firmware to get TRIM support into the drive - this should help GREATLY with the problem of the SSD slowing down after prolonged usage, even when enough free space exists for wear levelling and write combining.
Is the Unibody MacBook a beta product if it's had 3 or 4 EFI updates so far ?
Average ? As compared to what ? The Vertex is faster than the Intel when you're adding songs to your iTunes library or photos to iPhoto. And it's the same performance in most other tasks. Of course, Intel's X25-M is an IOPs monster, but you really won't see the X25' potential unless you're running a database or a webserver. For normal usage, the Vertex is cheaper and faster.
If you ask me whether spending £280 on a 120GB SSD for the MacBook is worth it - I'll say yes. YMMV of course. But it makes your 2.0 GHz MacBook act like a 2.4 GHz machine. It's only when you've used one ... and gone back to using a HDD, that you realise the difference.
Have you purchased from OCZ? Read what? Their own description? Being a new Mac user, I don't have any idea of the process. I'm sorry if what I said came off a strong, but that doesn't make it appear any less of a gimmick.
Hmm, I am just a tax return away from purchasing a 120gb Vertex. Could be any day now. What do you all think, is it worth it to wait for this Mac Edition to hit the shelf. Is there any actual difference? Is the firmware different and optimized for macs (going in my MBP Penryn) or is this just a marketing gimmick and I would be waiting to buy the exact same product? I was planning on buying from NewEgg and I have read that the one they sell comes with and older firmware. I would really like to just put this bad boy in and not have to fiddle with flashing, installing new firmware, etc.
I just installed the OCZ Vertex 60 GB drive on my late 2006 CD2 Macbook. It is firmware 1275 and installed with no issues. From unboxing to reinstalling hardware was about 90 minutes. This drive is fast, I will post Geek Bench stats in you want.
DOnt worry about Apple branding, they will be the same drive.
Most definitely, maybe the 768 GB or the 1 TB SSD will be at the price current SSDs are in 2-3 years. However, I know the speeds will have drastically increased by then also.
It appears to be the case that the Mac edition is selling for more:
Mac 120GB - $519 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227434
Regular 120GB - $399 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227395
Mac 60GB - $295 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227433
Regular 60GB - $199 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227394
The 30GB is only $46 more for the Mac edition... the percentage premium is way to high.
"Peace of mind?!"
This is only good news if those who already purchased a "standard" vertex receive enough support to make their vertex "specifically" compatible with the Mac too. Go ahead and ask them this question in the support forums and they get irritated about it. If they can't come up with a flashing tool for the mac, then this Mac labeling is ridiculous. Why? Because in their support forums they come right out and say that the Vertex is still a work in progress and that you will have to do successive firmware updates. The mods on the OCZ support forums sometimes don't understand the frustration associated with spending $700+ for such a dodgy setup, but do they ever realize that the Vertex isn't MARKETED as an expensive experiment. It is marketed as a finished product. Seems to me that I spent $725 to be a Beta tester.
I am sitting here now with a Vertex (FW 1199) in my 17" UMBP, and I am unable to flash the drive due to some incompatibility of hardware (Non-Intel Controller). When booted in Vista, the Vertex in service mode doesn't show up. When booted in OS X the Vertex does appear in service mode. Weird.
Yet they now have a drive labeled as Mac compatible... Apple users will only really love them when they can flash these drives into long-term usefulness without being chided in the support forums for having a mac related problem, and then being told to "find a pc."
More likely that flashing will be disabled for Apple users
More likely that flashing will be disabled for Apple users
Can someone please tell me what "flashing" is?
Flashing means to update the firmware of a device. Firmware is the fixed, usually rather small, programs that internally control various electronic devices. In this case, flashing the updated, optimized firmware of an OCZ Vertex drive means the device will function better/ faster.
Or, in the case of the Vertex, a version of the firmware that actually delivers the promised speeds (first patch), loses data (second patch), works as initially advertised (third patch.)
As someone said before me, this "mac" edition thing IS a marketing gimmick, and whoever buys into it is plain stupid, excuse me for the language. Do a little research, go to OCZ forums and read the sticky post by one of the moderators saying the only difference between the regular and the "mac" version is the label (exactly the same hardware and firmware).
I don't know who to blame, (certain) mac users who are idiotic enough and so gotten used to Apple Tax that they would bite the bait from even a 3rd party parts manufacturer, or the manufacturer itself. There should have been neither the price difference nor two different labels to begin with.
I don't know who to blame, (certain) mac users who are idiotic enough and so gotten used to Apple Tax that they would bite the bait from even a 3rd party parts manufacturer, or the manufacturer itself. There should have been neither the price difference nor two different labels to begin with.
I think it's clear the manufacturer and distributors are to blame. Actually, I think they are missing an opportunity, if they did the opposite and charged slightly less for the Mac version... well you can guess what would happen. Anyway it seems that they have not done a proper price/sales profit optimization using business calculus.
To be somewhat fair, Apple charges any company to use that sticker, so it will most likely be reflected in the price to the end user. However, I don't think those prices are reflective of the actual cost Apple charges.